


Snake-Face

by daring_elm



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: "Don't Let Them See You Cry", Bad Things Happen Bingo, Bullying, Gen, Kid Fic, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25535272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daring_elm/pseuds/daring_elm
Summary: Janus learns that there are nice kids out there, too.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829092
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Snake-Face

Janus pulled his knees to his chest, desperately trying to calm his breathing. He could still hear the insults thrown after him echoing in his head like the world’s cruelest chorus, chanting, “ _ Snake-face snake-face snake-face, _ ” until Janus wanted nothing more than to hide forever.

Ms. Evans wouldn’t even notice if he didn’t show up after recess. Janus was her least favourite; he  _ knew _ he was her least favourite, because he looked weird and talked weird and couldn’t wait his turn and wasn’t as  _ normal _ as everyone else. Sniffling softly, he wiped his nose on his sleeve. He couldn’t wait to go home.

The door to the boys’ restroom opened and Janus jumped, making himself even smaller on the toilet lid. If whoever-it-was caught him crying, it would only make everything worse.

“Hello?” the someone called. Janus didn’t recognize the voice, but he knew that he did  _ not _ want to talk to them. He bit his lip in hope that it would stop the trembling.

Footsteps got closer, then stopped in front of the stall Janus was hiding in. Oh, he was so  _ stupid _ —the fairy tale book on the floor must have given him away. Janus wanted to punch himself. Instead, he just bit his lip harder.

“My name’s Patton,” the someone said. Janus stared at Patton’s light blue sneakers under the door and tried his best to disappear. “I saw what the other kids were doing and I—”

“Go away,” Janus said, his voice shaking pathetically. He squeezed his eyes closed (the tears made it hard to see anyway) as if that would help him teleport away.

Patton plopped down, sitting criss-cross applesauce in front of the door. A huge hole in the knee of his jeans showed off a pink band-aid over a scratch that made Janus wince in sympathy. “I’m sorry they’re mean to you,” Patton said. “Are you okay?”

“Obviously,” Janus snapped. His lisp drew out the ‘s’ sounds in the word ( _ like a snake _ , he thought bitterly) and Patton would make fun of him for it in three, two…

But Patton didn’t seem bothered. He played with his shoelaces absent-mindedly, asking, “Then why don’t you come out? It’s stinky in here.”

Janus could hear the grimace in his voice and almost wanted to laugh. “Go away,” he repeated instead, even though he  _ really  _ didn’t want Patton to.

“Only if you’re coming with me.” Patton stood up. “Come on, it’s so nice out! Who cares if the others are mean.”

“ _ I _ care.” Just as Janus thought they were gone, the tears were back again; big, round tears that sat in his eyes and waited for him to give in and show Patton how much of a baby he was.

“Well, I don’t,” Patton said firmly. “Come on, I’ll be your knight, saving you from all the no-good villains out there!” He sounded like he was doing an impression of someone, but Janus couldn’t quite piece together who it was. “You can meet my friends—Roman likes fairy tales too! You’ll get along great.”

Janus hesitated, then slowly got up. Pins and needles filled his legs, and he gritted his teeth as he bent down to get his book. “...Okay.” He still felt a little sniffly, but he opened the door and anxiously returned Patton’s beaming smile. Patton held out his hand and as Janus took it, the mean chorus in the back of his mind finally faded away.


End file.
